Woundup Windows XP hype-fest commences

And who are we to give it as miss?

Brace yourself for the hype; today, Microsoft will try to position Windows XP as the operating system to have. You'll find article after article talking about Microsoft's big day today at EMP, where it is expected too divulge more information about Windows XP, and what will be included in Beta 2.

So far, Windows XP clearly needs top notch hardware to run effectively. Do not expect to run (nor see) Windows XP on an old Pentium, but rather a Pentium III with at least 128MB of RAM. But Microsoft does promise that this Windows version will contain crash-proof reliability while providing enhanced Web and wireless technologies. Obviously this costs - certainly if you do it the way Microsoft does it.

OK, one more XP item and I'm through with it - trust me. An IT enthusiast Web site has posted a brief product review of Office XP. Here's a quote: "Two new additions that could be of immediate benefit to users are the introduction of the Task pane [which] provides contextual help and on-screen instruction that would previously have been obtained from the menu system. It starts with offering advice for document creating (does this mean the death of the rather annoying office assistant) and then changes to offer advice about the task in-hand."

Also, Microsoft recently released the Office XP Product Evaluation Guide. This lengthy guide talks about all the new and updated parts in the forthcoming product. It also outlines what Microsoft is planning to do with this version, and following versions of Office, including the "software as a service" idea (.NET). Thanks to ActiveWin.com for the tip.

Is Linux a threat to Microsoft? According to this characteristic harangue, Microsoft has put Linux high up on the "attack" not the "compete," list. "Knowing what we know about the company's usual approach, it's easy to imagine Ballmer's two-way train of thought. A buyout is impossible because nobody owns Linux, so we're left with the company's only other alternative - kill," says Peter Revill. But what about the recent LinuxWorld conference, where everyone was using Windows machines in the pressroom to check e-mail! Which implies that at least right now Microsoft won't have to worry about Linux as a desktop, but rather Linux as a server. "The source code is free, but any Linux platform that provides value to a corporate user is not and never will be. Distributions and services are what are guiding Linux into the enterprise," writes Scot Petersen. ®